With My Life
by jouissance
Summary: Post ep for Best Laid Plans. Because I couldn't leave Regina on the floor for two weeks. SQ friendship or more depending on your bend. Heavy doses of Regal Believer with a dash of sexy Pirate for good measure.


**As always, thank you for reading! If you're following Scars, more will be up by tomorrow. Pinkie swear.**

Emma was on the docks, wrapped up in the arms of Hook when Henry came running up to them. "Mom, I'm sorry. I know you're mad at grandma and grandpa…" He was breathless and anyone, especially his mother, could tell that he was beyond upset.

"Kid, what's up?" Emma got up and put her arm around her son, her own problems being shoved back.

"I can't get a hold of Mom. She's not answering her phone and no one's seen her since everyone's woke up." He was talking so fast Emma could only make out every other word. "She gave them the forged page. What if…"

"She's blown." Emma filled in the blanks quickly. How could she not have thought to check on Regina? Cursing herself, Emma grabbed Hook with one hand and Henry with the other and headed back toward the Charming's loft. "Let's go."

* * *

"Emma, thank god," Mary Margaret took a tentative step toward her daughter the moment she burst through the door, Hook and Henry in tow.

"I'm not here for you," Emma spat as she flipped open her computer and began typing. Maybe her feelings weren't pushed back quite as far as she thought.

"What are you doing, Love?" Hook looked over her shoulder, still oblivious to the technology of this realm.

"Last time I was tracking Regina's phone she gave me the slip," Emma explained as she pulled up the tracking program.

"So you are hoping she wants to be found this time?" Henry asked as he bounced restlessly beside her.

"No. I put a tracker on her coat," Emma said looking just a bit guilty. Henry leaned over the computer looking at 5 red dots, four clustered together. "All of them." Emma gave Henry her best I-mean-business look and added, "Do not tell her." Her son nodded his obvious consent; he didn't want to suffer his mother's wrath any more than Emma. "There," Emma tapped the screen where the lone dot blinked a steady rhythm.

"I'm sure she's fine," Snow said from behind with far too much hope in her voice. "That's her vault. She's probably just wants to be alone."

"She wouldn't ignore me," Henry said, already walking out of the apartment.

"If she's not, it's on you." Emma whispered violently, inches from her mother's face. "All of this is on both of you." And with that final curse, she was racing down the steps with Hook at her heels.

* * *

The trio reached Regina's vault just as Gold and Maleficent were leaving. They ducked into the trees. It took both Emma and Hook to hold Henry in place until the evil pair was out of site. One released he sped through the doors of the crypt, "MOM," bellowing from his lungs. He was already at her side in the seconds it took Emma and Hook to get to the bottom of the stairs. "She's breathing," Henry panted. Emma hit her knees and felt for Regina's pulse. The other woman's heart was racing, her eyes darting quickly behind closed lids.

"Sleeping curse?" Emma asked, although she wasn't expecting either of them to answer her. "We woke up on our own," she looked to Hook. "Hopefully she will too."

"We can't leave her here," Killian eased further into the room. "The Crocodile and the Dragon Lady will most likely return."

"Your ship," Henry supplied. "Did Ursula tell anyone she brought it back?" Emma made a mental to ask Henry exactly how much he knew and how he knew it. Also to tell him how proud she was.

"Right, Mate." Hook crouched next to Emma, carefully slipping his arms under the fallen queen. Regina whimpered softly as Emma helped adjust her in Hook's arms.

"Let's get out of here," Emma tried to hide her fear for Henry's sake. _She's just sleeping_, she wanted to tell him, but knew he was too smart to believe the lie.

* * *

Regina woke to the sound of screams echoing all around her, it wasn't until strong arms pinned her back and covered her mouth that she realized the cries were her own. "You're okay," it was Emma's voice close to her ear. "Regina, clam down! You're okay." Emma had released her mouth and now held her arms close to her chest, holding her fists tightly together. Regina could feel the magic trying to burst forth. "Calm down," Emma repeated and Regina tried to comply, steading her breathing and forcing her magic back down. Emma's grip loosened, but she didn't dare let go completely.

"Mom?" Henry's voice was small and scared in the corner; Hook held him firmly in place although the moment Regina started screaming the boy had stood frozen.

Regina sucked in air like she'd been drowning. "I'm okay, Henry," she managed between breaths, but it was unconvincing. A shared look between Emma and Hook told the pirate all he needed to know as he ushered the boy out of the room. "Where are we?" Regina asked weakly, leaning heavily against Emma's chest.

"Hook's ship." Emma answered, slowly releasing Regina's hands now that she was sure fireballs wouldn't rip through the hull. "We found you unconscious in your vault. Henry suggested we bring you here."

Regina nodded slowly, trying to piece together what had happened. "Gold knows," she rubbed her head trying to ease the pounding behind her eyes. The last thing she remembered was Gold ripping up the forged page and then… She breathed in sharply and quickly looked over her body for burns. Regina knew there would be none, but still. It had been so terrifyingly real.

"I gathered that with the whole you being unconscious in your fault thing." Emma was running her hands up and down Regina's arms trying to ease the trembling of the woman beside her. "Are you okay?" The brunettes breathing was still far too erratic for Emma to believe she was anywhere near 'fine', which of course was the only answer she'd expect to hear from the queen.

"No," Regina said quietly as she pulled her knees up under her chin. The admission shocked Emma more than the answer.

"What do you need?"

"I need get Gold and his back up singers out of my town. I need to find the author before he destroys anyone else's life. I need to get off this damn ship!" More than anything Regina hated weakness, especially in herself. She refused to be coddled by the Savior when there was work to be done. Regina ripped herself out of Emma's arms and stumbled up the steep stairs that led out to the deck.

"Slow down, Regina," Emma caught her from behind. Of course she did, Regina rolled her eyes.

"I don't need your help!" Regina tried to pull away.

"Bullshit! You can barely stand!" Emma grabbed Regina's shoulders and slammed her into the wall. It was harder than the blonde intended, but her anger fueled her. She was tired of everyone doing what they thought was best, tired of everyone trying to protect her at their own expense. "I know what they did: my parents!" She practically screamed into Regina's face. "And I know that Maleficent isn't going to stop! And I _know _that no matter how tough you think you are, you cannot take on her and Gold on your own. I am not letting you die for their mistakes!"

"I'm sorry," Regina strained. Emma pulled back the arm she hadn't realized was pressing against the brunette's throat. Regina rubbed her neck but didn't move from the wall. "I'm sorry she told you. You didn't need that hanging over your head."

"What?" It certainly wasn't the apology the savior had expected

"Look, Emma, you know full well how I feel about most everything your parents do. But this…I can't blame them for trusting the wrong person to save you from a life of evil. And neither can you."

Emma spun away from her, blonde hair flicking Regina's face. "Why can't anyone just let me be mad about this? They lied to me!"

"Parent's lie all time. And take it from someone who has spent more than a lifetime being mad, it doesn't help." Regina sat on the steps and after a few more paces around the small cabin, Emma joined her. "What would you have done to get Henry back from Neverland, Emma. Personally, I would have ripped the heart out of everyone on that damned island."

"I don't know." Emma leaned forward, resting her head in her hands. "I don't think I would have done that."

"You never know what you'll do until you have to do it," Regina told her. Emma supposed the queen knew that better than anyone.

"Mom?" Henry poked his head through the door, flooding the cabin with light. Both women turned to face their son. Regina made it to her feat as Henry bounded down the steps and Henry wrapped her in a strong embrace. She wondered for a moment when her son went from being held to holding. "So," Henry said eagerly once Regina finally let him go. "What's the plan?"

"The plan is for you to stay here with Hook." Regina looked past Henry's hurt eyes to Emma. The blonde instantly agreeing with her son's other mother.

"You're right, Kid, this is probably the safest place in Storybrooke right now. Rumple doesn't even know its here." Emma tried to get Henry on board, but knew he would still hate the idea of being left behind.

"But I can help!" the boy protested.

"You can help them most by staying safe so they don't have to worry about you," Hook said from the deck. Emma guided Henry and Regina up, and hand on each of their backs, thanking Hook with a smile and a nod.

"We should go back to vault," Regina said to Emma. "They'll still expect me to be there." She was still weak; Maleficent's curse pulsing through her body and playing games with her head. "Mal will know I wouldn't be walking out of there this soon." She leaned heavily against the deck railing, embarrassed at the realization of how she must have gotten here. "Thank you," she met Hook's eyes for a fraction of a second before looking intently at anything else.

"Yes, well, I figured I owed you one after that whole delivering you to be tortured bit." It haunted the pirate that the last time he'd carried Regina's unconscious form he had left her to be electrocuted by that sadistic bastard.

"Yes," Regina agreed. "You did." She smiled, but without her usual sarcasm. She stepped close to him. "Killian," the use of his name from _her_ stopped the pirate in his tracks. "Keep him safe." She looked towards her son who was standing next to Emma just out of earshot then back to Hook with tears moistening her eyes.

"With my life," he answered plainly and Regina knew he meant it. "I made that promise to his father long ago and I'll make it to you as well."

"Thank you," Regina turned away before more tears could fall. They needed to get going, but before she could say a final farewell to her son, Hook grabbed her bicep.

"Regina," he looked up to make sure Emma wasn't listening then leaned in so close Regina felt the scruff of his beard on her cheek. "There's no good in the Crocodile. You've changed; he hasn't; never will. Emma won't want to believe it. She insists on seeing the possibility for redemption in everyone."

"Her mother's child," Regina mused.

"Just…" There was so much he wanted to ask Regina, but he wasn't sure he had the right. Keep her safe, of course. But keep her whole, keep her light.

"With my life," Regina answered every plea in the pirate's eyes. He held the queen's knowing gaze until Emma came up behind them, snaking a supportive arm around Regina's waist.

"Ready?" the blonde asked. Regina nodded, sharing one more understanding look with the pirate and a hopeful smile with her son before closing her eyes and surrounding Emma and herself in a cloud of purple smoke.


End file.
